Living and Applying the Great Way- Tao Te Ching....

"When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change..."

If you are not familiar with the Tao Te Ching, allow me to briefly introduce it to you. It's hard to imagine how the word "briefly" does and does not apply to this collection of 81 verses authored by the Chinese Prophet and Sage, Lao tzu. Brief because there are a mere 81 verses, but the powerful wisdom behind each verse is far from brief. Ok, first things first...

In the 6th century, more than 3000 years ago, 500 years before Christ, lived a Chinese Prophet, Sage, and reputed man of wisdom, Lao tzu. His year and time of birth unknown, he was the keeper of Imperial archives in the ancient capital of Luoyang, China, at the end of the Zhou Dynasty. Being the keeper of Imperial archives is no small task! These record keepers were chosen for their intelligence, literacy and knowledge of classical texts. They typically came from scholarly families or were selected through competitive exams.

One day, Lao tzu became weary. Weary of the disturbing unrest and decay during a period of warring states (sound familiar in present day??) he decided to leave. He headed westward into the desert. (Gosh, can I do that???) As he approached and came upon the Hanku Pass, where a humble gatekeeper by the name of Yin Hsi, knowing the great Sage Lao tzu, begged him to record the essence of his teachings. It was then the Tao Te Ching was born.

Tao Te Ching translates to "living and applying the Great Way." Without further ado I will recite here for you just some of the powerful and great wisdoms of the Tao Te Ching. Please note: I am not displaying the entire verse for the sake of time and space.

3rd Verse: "Putting a value on status will create contentiousness. If you overvalue possessions, people begin to steal. By not displaying what is desirable, you will cause people's hearts to remain undisturbed..."

9th Verse: "To keep on filling is not as good as stopping. Overfilled, the cupped hands drip, better to stop pouring. Sharpen a blade too much and its edge will soon be lost. Fill your house with jade and gold and it brings insecurity. Puff yourself with honor and pride and no one can save you from a fall...."

10th Verse: "... Can you love your people and govern your domain without self-importance?..."

17th Verse: "When a leader trusts no one, no one trusts him... The great leader speaks little. He never speaks carelessly. He works without self-interest and leaves no trace...."

26th Verse: "... Why should the lord of the country flit about like a fool?..."

27th Verse: "... What is a good man but a bad man's teacher? What is a bad man but a good man's job? If the teacher is not respected and the student not cared for, confusion will arise, however clever one is. This is the great secret."

30th Verse: "One who would guide a leader of men in the uses of life will warn him against the use of arms for conquest. Weapons often turn upon the wielder. Where armies settle, nature offers nothing but briars and thorns. After a great battle has been fought, the land is cursed, the crops fail, the earth lies stripped of its Motherhood...You must never think of conquering others by force. Whatever strains with force will soon decay..."

31st Verse: "Weapons are the tools of violence; all decent men detest them. Therefore, followers of the Tao never use them. He who thinks triumph beautiful is one with a will to kill, and one with a will to kill shall never prevail upon the world. It is a good sign when man's highest nature comes forward. A bad sign when his lower nature comes forward. With the slaughter of multitudes, we have grief and sorrow. Every victory is a funeral; when you win a war, you celebrate by mourning."

33rd Verse: "... If you realize that you have enough, you are truly rich..."

37th Verse: "...When life is simple, pretenses fall away; our essential nature shine through..."

What is the Tao?

The Tao refers to the central concept of ancient Chinese philosophy. It represents the ultimate reality, the source and essence of everything in the Universe and is often described as the unnamable, unknowable force behind all phenomena. Following the teachings of the Tao means embracing the natural flow of life and aligning oneself with its principles. It's about living simply, being present and trusting in the natural order of things. It is not easy to explain because anything that can be put into words is limited and imperfect. The Tao is infinite and absolute.

We are living in challenging, unstable, angry, volatile times. Pluto having just recently moved into the sign of Aquarius is proving to be a challenge. My goal in presenting this blog to you is to get you to slow down and perhaps think about the world around you and see a different perspective.

The Tao is considered to be, by many scholars, the wisest book ever written. These teachings by a wise Sage and Prophet encourage you to change your life literally by sparking a different perspective that can change the way you think because how is your present way of thinking working out for you?

The journey into the Tao can take you on the most beautiful and profound path, the path to intellectual and emotional freedom.

Sending out into the amazing Universe we live, in so much love....

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